Systems for measuring properties of water in a water distribution system

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of measuring properties of water in a water distribution system are provided. An analysis system, according to one embodiment, comprises a plurality of water sensors connected at various points to the water distribution system, each of the plurality of water sensors configured to measure a property of water. The analysis system also includes a computer server configured to communicate with the plurality of water sensors via a network and receive water measurement data from the plurality of water sensors. The computer server comprises a processor, a database configured to store the water measurement data, and a system health monitoring module configured to evaluate the health of the water distribution system to obtain health data. The analysis system further includes at least one client device configured to communicate with the computer server via the network and receive the health data from the computer server.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/209,257, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/794,616, filed Mar. 15, 2013, both ofwhich are hereby specifically incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to water distribution systems,and more particularly relates to measuring properties of water in awater distribution system and managing the measurement data.

BACKGROUND

Water utility companies provide water to customers through a network ofwater pipes. This network of pipes can be referred to as a waterdistribution system.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for measuringproperties of water in a water distribution system. In variousembodiments, a non-transitory web application is stored on acomputer-readable medium, wherein the web application comprises web sitelogic, browser interface logic, an application programming interface,and a database. The web site logic is configured to maintain a web sitehaving at least one web page. The browser interface logic is configuredto enable a remote device to access the at least one web page. Theapplication programming interface is configured to interface with theremote device to enable the remote device to access the web application.The database is configured to store water data related to a plurality ofwater measurements. The web site logic is further configured to receivea data request from the remote device, search the database in responseto the data request to obtain at least one water measurement, and sendthe at least one water measurement to the remote device.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure,an analysis system is provided. The analysis system comprises aplurality of water sensors connected at various points to a waterdistribution system, each of the plurality of water sensors configuredto measure a property of water. The analysis system also includes acomputer server configured to communicate with the plurality of watersensors via a network and receive water measurement data from theplurality of water sensors. The computer server comprises a processor, adatabase configured to store the water measurement data, and a systemhealth monitoring module configured to evaluate the health of the waterdistribution system to obtain health data. The analysis system furtherincludes at least one client device configured to communicate with thecomputer server via the network and receive the health data from thecomputer server.

In addition, in various embodiments, a water sensing assembly isdisclosed. The water sensing assembly comprises a valve box securelymountable on an underground water pipe. The water sensing assembly alsoincludes a sensor mounted inside the valve box, wherein the sensor isconfigured to sense a property of water within the underground waterpipe. Also included is a top section connected to the valve box. Anelectrical communication device is mounted at a top portion of theadjustable top section such that the electrical communication device ispositioned at or near the surface of the ground.

A service saddle is also provided, wherein the service saddle comprisesa lower channel alignable with a bore in a water pipe. The servicesaddle also includes a main port having an interior volume opened to thelower channel and a secondary port having an interior volume opened tothe lower channel. The service saddle further includes a first valvemoveably mounted in the main port for controlling water flow through themain port and a second valve moveably mounted in the secondary port forcontrolling water flow through the secondary port.

In addition, in various embodiments, another water sensing assembly isdisclosed. The water sensing assembly is mountable on a water pipe andcomprises a sensor, a generator, and a turbine coupled to the turbineand positionable through a bore in the water pipe into water flow withinthe water pipe.

The present disclosure also describes a method of sensing a property ofwater within a water distribution system. The method comprises a step ofperiodically sampling water within a water distribution system accordingto a sampling rate such that multiple water samples are obtained duringeach of at least one predefined logging interval. The method alsoincludes the steps of measuring a property of the water for each of themultiple water samples and storing a maximum of two values of themeasured property for each predefined logging interval, wherein the twovalues include a highest value measured and a lowest value measured.

Various implementations described in the present disclosure may includeadditional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which may notnecessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all suchsystems, methods, features, and advantages be included within thepresent disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and components of the following figures are illustrated toemphasize the general principles of the present disclosure.Corresponding features and components throughout the figures may bedesignated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistencyand clarity.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a system for measuringproperties of water in a water distribution system and managing themeasurement data, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a system for measuringproperties of water and managing the measurement data, according tovarious embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating the server shown in FIG. 1B,according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of a water sensing assembly, according tovarious embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is perspective detail view of the shape of a vertical axisturbine, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a second water sensing assembly,according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3C is cutaway side view of the second water sensing assembly ofFIG. 3B, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a third water sensing assembly installed on apipe, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is front cross-sectional view of the third water sensing assemblyof FIG. 4, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the third water sensingassembly of FIG. 4, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a communication assembly of the thirdwater sensing assembly of FIG. 4, according to various embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a cutaway side view of a water sensing assembly of FIG. 3B ina multi-port service saddle, according to various embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a cutaway side view of the second water sensing assembly ofFIG. 3B in the multi-port service saddle of FIG. 8 in a power generationmode, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a chart showing sampling rate, log rate, and upload rate,according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a screen view of a user interface for enabling a user to signin with a server, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 12 is a screen view of a user interface showing a map of thelocations of installed sensors, according to various embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a screen view of a user interface showing the map of FIG. 12with information about a sensing device superimposed, according tovarious embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a screen view of a user interface showing further details ofa sensing device, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 15 is a screen view of a user interface for enabling a user to editparameters of a sensing device, according to various embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a screen view of a user interface showing a graph and a tableof measurements logged by a sensing device, according to variousembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a screen view of a user interface for enabling a user to editmeasurements, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 18 is a screen view of a user interface for enabling a user to edituser information, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes systems and methods for measuringproperties of water within a water distribution system at multiplelocations throughout the water distribution system. The presentdisclosure also describes sensors that may be installed in the waterdistribution system for one or more clients (e.g., water utilitycompanies). The sensors may be configured to generate energy from thewater itself to power its internal circuitry. The sensors may be tappedinto the side of a pipe or installed at any location in the system.

The water property measurements may be logged in the sensors andperiodically uploaded to a server using a wireless communicationnetwork. Measurements may also be uploaded on demand in someembodiments. The server, which may be a web server, maintains themeasurements in a database. Clients may access the measurements to viewthe readings during various time periods. Also, the clients may requesta substantially real-time measurement.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system 100for managing data related to properties of water in a water distributionsystem. As shown in this implementation, the system 100 comprises asensing device 102, a web application 104, and a client system 106. Itmay be noted that, as illustrated, the system 100 includes a singlesensing device 102 and a single client system 106. However, it will beunderstood by one of skill in the art that the system 100 may includeany number of sensing devices 102 installed in various locations in thewater distribution system. Also, the system 100 may include any numberof client systems 106 for any number of clients. The multiple clientsystems 106 may be connected to the web application 104 through acommunication network. In this respect, multiple sensing devices 102 maybe used to monitor water properties at various locations within one ormore water distribution systems for multiple clients, and the clientscan access their respective sensor readings through the web application104.

The sensing device 102 of the current embodiment comprises, among otherthings, a sensor 110 (e.g., a pressure sensor), a battery 112, and anantenna 114. The sensing device 102 may include any suitable type ofsensor 110 for sensing various characteristics of water within a waterdistribution system. For example, the sensor 110 may be a pressuresensor for measuring water pressure at a particular location in thewater distribution system, a flow rate sensor for measuring the ratethat water is flowing through the particular location of the waterdistribution system, a chlorine sensor for measuring the chlorinecontent of the water at the location, or other types of sensors.

The battery 112 may include any suitable type of battery or batteriesfor providing power to the sensor 110 and other electronics of thesensing device 102. In some embodiments, the sensing device 102 mayinclude a power generation device that harvests energy from the flow ofwater. The power generation device may be configured to recharge thebattery 112, supplement the power of the battery 112, or even replacethe battery 112.

The antenna 114 is configured to wirelessly transmit properties of waterthat are sensed by the sensing device 102 to the web application 104.The sensor data may be transmitted over any suitable type of wirelessnetwork 116, such as, for example, a cellular network, radio frequency(RF) channels, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. A receiver on the wireless network116 is configured to convert the sensor data signals to allowtransmission over a data network 118 using any suitable protocol, suchas the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http), Transmission Control Protocol(TCP), Internet Protocol (IP), or other communication protocol. The datanetwork 118 may include a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet,and/or may include local area networks (LANs).

The web application 104 as shown in FIG. 1A may be configured on aserver, such as a web server, or a group of servers. The web application104 may be associated with a data management company that provides aservice to its clients for managing the clients' sensor data. Forexample, multiple clients (e.g., water distribution companies) may wishto have the data management company monitor the sensor data and thenmake the data available to the clients as desired. As explained in moredetail below, the clients can customize how the water properties for thepipes in their system are to be sensed. They can also customize how theinformation about the sensor data can be accessed. They can alsocustomize how they will be contacted if the sensor data reveals awarning or critical condition. In FIG. 1A, only one client system 106 isshown, but it should be understood that multiple client systems 106 maybe configured in the system 100 to access the server on which the webapplication 104 is running.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system 150for measuring properties of water and managing the measurement data.According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, the system 150 includes aplurality of sensing devices 152 that are distributed throughout an areaand are installed to be in contact with water within a waterdistribution system. The sensing devices 152 are installed and put intoservice to allow them to take measurements of the water at theirparticular location and wirelessly communicate the measurement data to acell tower 154 or other wireless communication device for receivingwireless signals, such as a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth receiver. Also, multiplecell towers 154 or receivers may be incorporated in the system 150.

The system 150 of FIG. 1B also includes a network 156, which enablescommunication from a wireless communication protocol, or othercommunication channel protocol, to a data network protocol. The network156 enables the measurement data received by the cell tower 154 to betransmitted to a server 160. The server 160 may be one or more computersystems for managing the measurements of water properties. The server160 may be a web server for providing a web site for clients to accessif authorized. The system 150 also includes client devices 162, whichmay include desktop computers, wired or wireless laptop devices, smartphones, or other computer system. The client devices 162 may includecomputer systems for any number of clients. Also, it should be knownthat any number of client devices 162 may be used for each client.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of an embodiment of the server 160 shown inFIG. 1B. In this implementation, the server 160 comprises a processor170, a memory 172, an interface 174, and the database 122. In someembodiments, the database 122 may be separate from the server 160. Theprocessor 170 is configured to control the operations of the server 160.The server 160 may execute certain functions that may be stored insoftware and/or firmware and execute functions that may be configured inhardware. The memory 172, in some embodiments, may comprise the webapplication 104 and the API 126. The interface 174, in some embodiments,may comprise the browser interface 124. The interface 174 may be anetwork interface for interfacing with the client devices 162 via thenetwork 156.

The web application 104, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A,may comprise at least a web site 120, a database 122, a browserinterface 124, and an Application Programming Interface (API) 126. Asshown in FIG. 1C, the web application 104, database 122, browserinterface 124, and API 126 may be contained within the server 160. Theweb site 120 provides various web pages and screen views (as explainedbelow) to a user on the client system 106 or client devices 162. Thedatabase 122 is configured to store the data retrieved from the sensingdevices 102, 152. The database 122 may be arranged to securely separatethe data for one client from another. In some embodiments, multipledatabases 122 may be used. The browser interface 124 enables a user onthe client system 106 to access the web site 120 and obtain sensor dataformatted in an organized way, as described below. The API 126 providesan interface for the client system 106 to access the web application104. The web application 104, with the web site 120, browser interface124, database 122, and API 126, may be configured in one package, suchas in a single server (e.g., server 160).

The web site 120 can take requests from authorized clients, search thedatabase 122, and send information back to the clients. In someembodiments, the clients may wish to request a certain reading at acertain time and date. The log in the database 122 that is closest tothat time and date can be retrieved from the database 122 and sent tothe SCADA system.

Furthermore, the web site 120 may be configured to include two differenttypes of retrieval techniques for the clients' use. The first techniqueis a simple Read, while the second technique is referred to ReadX. WithRead, the client may make requests for data, and in response the datalog is retrieved and sent back to the client. In this case, the data ismerely read from the database 122 and remains in the database 122without any change to the data entry.

However, a ReadX command allows a client to request data. Again, thedata is retrieved and sent to the client. In this case, however, the webapplication 104 checks to ensure that the client has indeed received thedata. For example, the API 126 may request for an acknowledgement fromthe client that the records were received successfully. When the clientsystem 106 receives the data successfully and stores this data in itsown database, it sends an acknowledgement (ACK) receipt back to the webapplication 104. When the API 126 receives this ACK receipt signal, theweb application 104 erases that data from the database 122.

One benefit of the ReadX command, for example, is for security. Certainclients may not want their data to be stored on another database thatdoes not belong to them. This may also be beneficial for the datamanagement company that owns the server 160 or web application 104,because the owner may be released from any liability associated with theother party's information. In this respect, the client can be able tohide or manage their proprietary data any way they see fit.

The client system 106 or client device 162 may include any suitablecommunication device capable of transmitting and receiving http or otherdata transmissions. For example, the client system 106 or client device162 may be a personal computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, orother computer systems. The client system 106 or client device 162 mayalso include portable electronic communication devices, such as cellphones, smart phones, or other mobile devices that may utilize acellular network, data network, or other types of networks. The clientsystem 106 or client device 162 may include its own database for storingsensor data retrieved from the web application 104. The client system106 or client device 162 may be a Supervisory Control and DataAcquisition (SCADA) system. The client system 106 or client device 162may also be configured to contain a user interface that allows a user tosee web pages of the web application 104, as described below withrespect to FIG. 11-18.

The system 100 may be a multi-tenant system for managing sensors formultiple clients. The system 100 may be configured to show only thesensor devices for each particular client when a client signs in. Thus,each client is only able to see their own sensors and not the sensor ofother clients. However, a master device may be connected in the system150 to allow a user to access information for all the sensors. Themaster device may be the server 160 that run the web application 104 ormay be computer system connected directly to the server 160. In somerespects, the master device may be operated by a city or countygovernment for monitoring the water distribution systems in theirjurisdictions.

The system 100 gives clients an inexpensive product that can be employedrelatively easily on the part of the client. The system 100 allows aclient (e.g., water utility company) to sign up with a service thatprovides a combination of water monitoring functions all in one package.

The server 160 associated with the web application 104 may be configuredwith a system health monitoring module 180. The system health monitoringmodule 180 may be configured in software, hardware, and/or firmware. Thesystem health monitoring module 180 may be configured to evaluate thehealth of the water distribution system using an empirical method ofanalyzing many data points. The system health monitoring module 180 maybe neural network for determining whether values are within a normalrange. In some embodiments, the data points may be evaluated based ontheir location in the water distribution system and based on the time ofday when the measurements were taken. The system health monitoringmodule 180 may use statistical analysis to determine if certain pointsare abnormal or unhealthy with respect to baseline data pointsestablished for a normal or healthy system.

In some embodiments, the system health monitoring module 180 may use theMahalanobis-Taguchi System (MTS) for determining the health of thesystem. The MTS, for example, uses pattern recognition to analyzemulti-variate data. The system health monitoring module 180 can analyzevalues with respect to norms based on the MTS model. Not only does theMTS model diagnose the norms, but it can also include a predictivemethod for analyzing patterns in multivariate cases.

The system health monitoring module 180 may analyze bothlocation-dependent and time-dependent data. For example, a water flowrate at 4:00 pm at a certain location in the water distribution systemmay have a certain normal range based on multiple measurements taken atthis time. When values are outside of this range, the system healthmonitoring module 180 can instruct the interface 174 to provide an alertto the client. In some embodiments, the system health monitoring module180 may process data stored in the database 122 from multiple sensorsand consider all the parameters when diagnosing health.

The server 160 is also configured to read data in real time, performhydraulic simulation in real-time, and recommend a pump power level inreal-time. The server 160 may also read data, perform hydraulicsimulation, and control the pump power level. The server 160 may also beconfigured to detect leaks in the main when the pressure matrix isabnormal.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of a water sensing assembly 200, accordingto various embodiments of the present disclosure. The water sensingassembly includes a housing 210 enclosing a battery pack 220, agenerator 230, a pressure sensor 240, and measurement and communicationelectronics 250. An antenna 260 is mounted to the exterior of thehousing 210. Extending from a lower end of the housing 210 is a turbine270. The turbine 270 is a vertical axis turbine in the currentembodiment, and is coupled to the generator 230 by a turbine shaft 275extending through a sealed shaft bore 277 and a seal partition 279 toconnect with a generator shaft 235 of the generator 230. In variousembodiments, the turbine 270 is may be indirectly coupled to thegenerator, such as with magnets, so that the turbine 270 may be fullyseparated from a sealed interior of the housing 21.

The pressure sensor 240 is mounted within the housing 210 such that thepressure sensor 240 extends through the seal partition 275 to partiallyexpose pressure sensor 240 to fluid flow along the lower end of thehousing 210, which may travel around turbine 270 into the lower interiorof housing 210. The pressure sensor 240 communicates fluid pressurereadings to measurement and communications electronics 250, which mayprocess, store, and/or communicate the date through antenna connection260. The measurement and communications electronics 250, pressure sensor240, and antenna 260 are powered by battery pack 220, which is rechargedby generator 230.

In operation, the water sensing assembly 200 is a self-contained,removable sensing unit that may be tapped into a fluid pipe or othervalve through a tap or bore. The turbine 270 is situated such that theturbine 270 is within the fluid path of the fluid passing through thefluid pipe. The fluid flow thereby turns the turbine 270, turning thegenerator shaft 235, causing the generator 230 to generate a current torecharge batter pack 220. The presence of the turbine 270 and generator230 attached to the battery pack 220 allows the battery pack 220 to lastlonger, giving the water sensing assembly 200 a longer life to detectsensing data. The pressure sensor 240 may be replaced by various othersensors in various embodiments, such as chlorine or flow sensors.

FIG. 3A is detail view of the shape of a vertical axis turbine 370. Asseen in FIG. 3A, the vertical axis turbine 370 includes two wings 372a,b, each wing having a curved profile and extending in opposite spiralson either side of a central turbine axis 374. When fluid flows inagainst vertical axis turbine 370 in a direction 376 orthogonal to thecentral turbine axis 374, fluid pushes wings 372 a,b such that thevertical axis turbine 370 spins about central turbine axis 374.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a second water sensing assembly 300,according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The watersensing assembly 300 includes a housing 310, a mounting bracket 320,mounting bracket fasteners 325, power wires 330, and a turbine 340. Asseen in FIG. 3B, the housing 310 is coupled to the mounting bracket 320,and power wires 330 extend through a wiring bore 322 defined in themounting bracket 320 into housing 310.

FIG. 3C is another cutaway side view of the second water sensingassembly 300 of FIG. 3B, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. As seen in FIG. 3C, a generator 350 is mounted within thehousing 310 similarly to generator 230. The turbine 340 extends from alower end of the housing 310 similarly to turbine 270. The turbine 340is a vertical axis turbine in the current embodiment, and is coupled tothe generator 340 by a turbine shaft 345 extending through a sealedshaft bore 347 and a seal partition 349 to connect with a generatorshaft 355 of the generator 350. A side bore 380 is defined in thehousing 310 below seal partition 349 so that fluid may flow aroundturbine 340 to side bore 380. In various embodiments, the turbine 340 ismay be indirectly coupled to the generator, such as with magnets, sothat the turbine 340 may be fully separated from a sealed interior ofthe housing 310. In the current embodiment, the power wires 330 may bedirectly connected to the generator to power sensing, communication,process, data storage, and other electronic equipment. Further, apressure sensor or other sensor may be mounted within the housing 310similarly to pressure sensor 240 within housing 210. The mountingbracket 320 may mount the water sensing assembly 300 on any sort ofsensing, tapping, or boring equipment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the water sensing assembly 400 of FIG. 2installed on a pipe, with various partial cross-sectional views of partsof the water sensing assembly 400 and the surrounding environment,according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The watersensing assembly 400 is buried underground in the current embodimentsuch that it extends from a pipe 410 to a ground surface 420, such as aroad.

FIG. 5 is front cross-sectional view of the water sensing assembly 400of FIG. 4, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.As seen in FIG. 5, the water sensing assembly 400 includes a valve box 1mounted over pipe 4. A saddle 15 connects ball valve 6 to the pipe 4,and a reducer 5 couples a pressure sensor 7 to the ball valve 6. Wiring11 runs up through the valve box 1 to a communication assembly 17. Thecommunication assembly 17 may contain processing, data storage, andpower equipment in various embodiments to store, communicate, andreceive orders based on data received from the pressure sensor 7. Tocommunicate data and receive orders, the communication assembly 17 isconnected by a wire 14 to an antenna 2 mounted on an iron cap 18, theiron cap 18 itself mounted on an adjustable top 3. The adjustable top 3connects to the valve box 1, forming an enclosure extending from groundsurface 420 to the top of pipe 410 to protect the enclosed equipment.The adjustable top 3 can be adjusted telescopically to vary the overallheight of the water sensing assembly 400, based on the depth of the pipebelow ground level. Other sensors may be used with water sensingassembly, such as chlorine or flow sensors.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of the water sensing assembly400 of FIG. 4, according to various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. As seen in FIG. 6, the communication assembly 17 is mountedto the iron cap 18 by a hanging bracket 16. The communication assembly17 is configured to receive measurement signals from the ______ andtransmit the signals from antenna 2 of the sensor assembly. The signalsare transmitted to the web application 104 via the cellular network 116or 154. The antenna 2 may be configured for Global System for Mobile(GSM) communication using a cellular network, Code Division MultipleAccess (CDMA) communication, or can be used with other types ofcommunication networks and protocols. In some embodiments, thecommunication device 17 may include a plug-in for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, orother short range communication.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the water sensing assembly 400 of FIG. 4,according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 7, the water assembly 400 includes two flat washers 8, lock washer9, two hex nuts 10, hanging bracket 16, machine screw 12, and jam nut13, the combination of which mounts communication assembly 17 to ironcap 18.

FIG. 8 is a cutaway side view of a water sensing assembly 300 mounted ina multi-port service saddle 800 on a pipe 810, according to variousembodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 8, themulti-port service saddle 800 includes a main port 820 and a secondaryport 830. A ball valve 840 is mounted in main port 820 and a ball valve850 is mounted in secondary port 830. Ball valve 840 includes a ballbore 842 and ball valve 850 includes a ball bore 852, each of which maybe turned to open and close main port 820 and secondary port 830,respectively. In FIG. 8, the ball valve 840 is closed and the ball valve850 is open. A lower end 860 of the multi-port service saddle 800defines a lower opening 862, which is aligned with a bore 812 in thepipe 810.

To form bore 812 in the pipe 810 without leakage from the pipe, themulti-port service saddle 800 is mounted to the pipe exterior with theball valve 840 open and the ball valve 850 closed. A tapping machine ismounted to main port 820 and is pushed down through main port 820 toform bore 812. The tapping machine is then pulled out of ball valve 840into a pre-insertion position and ball valve 840 is closed. Watersensing assembly 300 may then be mounted to multi-port service saddle asshown in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIG. 8, water sensing assembly 300 is mounted to a portbracket 890 coupled to main port 820. Insertion screws 870 extendbetween mounting bracket 320 and port bracket 890, with turbine 340 andhousing 310 pre-inserted into main port 820. A sensor cap 880 is showncoupled to secondary port 830 and including a sensor 882. Sensor 882 canbe any sensor for fluid data collection, such as a pressure sensor,chlorine sensor, or flow sensor. While the water sensing assembly 300 ismounted outside ball valve 840, fluid may flow into multi-port servicesaddle 800 to secondary port 830 where the fluid may be sensed by sensor882.

FIG. 9 is a cutaway side view of the second water sensing assembly 300in a power generation mode, according to various embodiments of thepresent disclosure. To place water sensing assembly 300 in powergeneration mode, ball valve 840 is opened and insertion screws 870 aretightened to pull mounting bracket 320 towards port bracket 890. Oncemounting bracket 320 and port bracket 890 are flush together, as shownin FIG. 9, mounting bracket fasteners 325 fasten mounting bracket 320 toport bracket 890. However, in various embodiments, water sensingassembly 300 may be inserted to various degrees within main port 820such that turbine 340 may be partially presented at varying depths tofluid flow within pipe 810, which may lessen the speed at which turbine340 turns, generating less power and allowing for a customizable levelof power generation based on known fluid flow and power needs. Movingmounting bracket 320 towards port bracket 890 inserts housing 310 andturbine 340 into main port 820 such that turbine 340 extends downthrough lower opening 862 bore 812 into fluid flow within pipe 810,thereby turning turbine 340 and generating current to power variousequipment or recharge batteries. In this configuration, fluid flow maypass up through side bore 380 so that sensor 882 may continue to sensefluid conditions within pipe 810. Turbine 340 may be removed from thefluid path within pipe 810 by use of insertion screws 870 to movemounting bracket 320 away from port bracket 890. This may be necessaryif, for instance, a pig is sent down the pipe 810 to clean the systemand it is desired to prevent damage to turbine 340.

FIG. 10 is a chart showing an exemplary sampling rate, log rate, andupload rate related to sensing water properties. The sensing assemblymay be configured to remain in a sleep mode until it is configured towake up and take a sample reading. For example, the sampling rate mayinclude sampling once every 15 seconds. The log rate may be set, forexample, at about once every 15 minutes. During the log interval (e.g.,15 minutes), the processing device of the sensor assembly may beconfigured to store only the samples that are the highest value and thelowest value. Measurements in between the high value and low valueduring that log interval may be discarded. When a new high or new lowvalue is sampled, it replaces the old value. In this sense, only twovalues are stored during each log interval. At the end of the loginterval, the processing device stores the high and low value for thatinterval in memory. Therefore, at the log rate (e.g., once every 15minutes), two values are stored or logged. The sensor assembly repeatsthe logging at the log rate until it is time for uploading as determinedby the upload rate. In one example, the upload rate may be about onceper day. This is the rate at which the sensor assembly uploads the loginformation via the antenna 114 to the server 160.

One benefit of these three rates is that the sensor data does notconsume much memory within the sensor assembly, only the high and lowvalues for each log interval. Also, the upload rate may be set to uploadnot very often (e.g., once a day), which can conserve battery lifeversus uploading after every reading. Thus, the sensor and communicationdevice 17 may be in a sleep mode and then wake up only to sense andupload data. For example, with these rate settings, a battery may lastabout seven years or longer.

In some embodiments, the sampling rate and log rate may be set to thesame rate. A client may request such a set-up if they wish to view thedata in more detail and have access to the data at any time. Thecellular modem may be placed in a low-power mode and listen for asignal, such as an SMS message from the client. In this way, the clientcan get a substantially real-time measurement. When requested in thismanner, the sensor assembly is waken up, regardless of the sampling ratetimes, and takes a reading. The communication device sends the newlytaken reading, or, in some embodiments, may send the high and lowreadings of a current logging interval, to the web application 104. Theweb site 120 can then communicate that data directly to the client, viae-mail, SMS, or other communication channel. Of course, this strategymay increase the battery usage compared with normal operations. This maycut the battery life to about two years.

The client may be given options to choose between different types ofplans for receiving sensor data. For example, the client may wish tohave access to data under normal operations, with the uploaded databeing available the following day. The second option may be thesubstantially real-time plan.

Another feature of the sensor assembly is that when sample data ismeasured, the processing device may analyze the data to see if it fallswithin a normal range of values. If so, then nothing needs to be done,except store the values if they are highs or lows for the period.Otherwise, if the values are not within normal range, the communicationdevice sends an alert to the web site 120. In this case, the modem iswaken from sleep mode and instructed to transmit the details of theout-of-range measurement. In response to receiving this alert, the website 120 may be configured to check the reading with the client'ssettings to find out what type of notification they wish to receive whensuch a condition occurs. The web site 120 may then send an SMS message,e-mail, or other type of message to inform the client of the condition.

FIGS. 11-18 show examples of various screen views of web pages that maybe displayed on a user interface, such as the user interface of theclient system 106. The web pages may be part of the web site 120 shownin FIG. 1 that allows a client to access the data stored in the database122. The web pages are designed to provide an organized and easy tounderstand display for the users.

FIG. 11 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1100 for enabling a user to sign up toreceive a service for viewing water property data. Initially, a new usersigns up or registers with the web server. After the user is registered,he or she can sign in to the server and obtain the relevant data. Forexample, the web server may include the one or more web servers that areconfigured to run the web application 104 shown in FIG. 1. In thisrespect, the user interface 1100 may be displayed on a screen, display,monitor, or other visual indication device of the client system 106. Theuser interface 1100 allows a user to sign up using an e-mail address,password, first name, last name, and mobile phone number.

Also, the sign up user interface 1100 includes an entry window for a“service contract number.” The service contract number is a number thatis set up for a particular client that has a service contract with thecompany that manages the web application 104 shown in FIG. 1. A clientmay allow its associates or employees to also sign up to gain accessunder the respective service contract number.

The user interface 1100 also includes entry windows for time zone,street address, city, state, and zip code. This can be the informationfor the location of the client (e.g., water distribution company).

In addition, the user interface 1100 includes four selectable boxes thatallow the new user to set up the types of ways that the user may becontacted if a warning condition or critical condition occurs. Forexample, the user may choose to receive a text message (e.g., a ShortMessage Service (SMS)) message or other type of electronic message on aportable electronic device. The user may also choose to receive ane-mail message for warning or critical conditions. For example, awarning condition may be a condition that if untreated may lead toproblems with the water distribution system, while a critical conditionmay be a condition that indicates a more severe problem, such as pipethat has burst.

One method for initiating a new contract according to one implementationmay include the following. The data managing company provides a servicecontract number to a new client. They also send the client a URL andinstructions on how to set up an account. The URL and instructions arecontained in an e-mail that is sent to the client. A contact person(e.g., a boss) at the client's company may set up a profile for himselfor herself. He or she may also send the URL and instructions to other inthe company so that they too can set up a profile. The additionalprofiles will include the personal information for the other people(e.g., employees) and will also include the same service contract numberfor that company. Each individual in the company can therefore choosethe types of notifications they receive when a warning condition orcritical condition is sensed.

FIG. 12 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1200 showing a map of sensing devicelocations. The map may be any suitable map of an area where a client'ssensing devices are installed. Sensors may be installed in any part ofthe water distribution system, such as on main pipes, secondary pipes,neighborhood pipes, residential pipes, etc. For example, the map may beprovided by Google Maps or other online mapping service.

Superimposed on this map are icons 1202, which are configured to displaythe locations of the sensor devices 102. As shown in this figure, fiveicons are displayed, representing five different sensor devices 102. Itshould be understood that the map may show any number of icons 1202,depending on how many sensor devices are installed and placed inservice. The icons 1202 can each include a number for distinguishing onesensor from another. If a user selects one of the icons, such as byhovering a mouse icon over an icon 1202, clicking an icon 1202, tappingan icon 1202 on a touch-sensitive screen, or by other entry methods, theweb site 120 may be configured to bring up a new page, such as the pagedescribed with respect to FIG. 13.

The icons 1202 can be displayed in different ways to indicate variousconditions of the sensor. For example, if the sensor senses a warningcondition, the icon 1202 may be displayed in a different way from anormal condition. In one embodiment, the icons 1202 may be green if theymeasurements are within a normal range, but may be changed to yellow orred if the measurements indicate a warning or critical condition. Otherthan changing color to indicate condition, the icons 1202 can also bedisplayed in other ways, such as by changing the size or shape of theicon 1202, or by flashing the icon 1202, or other means ofdistinguishing an abnormal condition from a normal one.

The user interface 1200 may be configured to show different types ofsensors. For example, if a client has any combination of pressuresensors, flow rate sensors, chlorine sensors, etc., each type of sensormay be displayed differently. As an example, the different types may bedistinguished by using different colors (e.g., blue, green, black, etc.)for the icons. The different sensors may also be shown with icons ofdifferent shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle, etc.).

FIG. 13 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1300 showing a map of sensing locationswith information about a sensing device superimposed. In this example,the information for the selected sensor is displayed in a box 1302,representing a device condition window. The information may include acurrent reading for that sensor. With respect to implementations inwhich the sensing device is a pressure sensor, the reading may give avalue in units of pounds per square inch (psi). The illustrated exampleshows a current pressure of 40.0 psi. If the sensor is configured tomeasure chlorine content, for instance, the box 1302 may display“Chlorine Content” with the reading.

If the reading (e.g., pressure) is out of a normal range, then thenumbers may be highlighted in a particular way to draw attention to it.For example, the number may appear in yellow if the reading is within awarning level and may appear in red if it is within a criticalcondition. Also, green may be a color used to indicate that the readingis normal.

The box 1302 may also include a phone number of the device 102, whichmay be the cellular number used to communicate the data to the cellularnetwork 116. The box 1302 may also include an address of the device 102.

The superimposed box 1302 may also include a first link to “Device” anda second link to “Measurements.” The first link allows a user tonavigate to another web page, such as the web page described withrespect to FIG. 14. The second link allows the user to navigate to yetanother web page, such as the web page described with respect to FIG.16.

FIG. 14 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1400 showing further details of a sensingdevice. For example, this web page may be displayed when the userselects the “Devices” link shown in FIG. 13 or when the user navigatesto the page by some other route. The user interface 1400 shows moredetails of the particular sensing device highlighted at an earlier time.The device information may include the phone number, a description ofits location, latitude and longitude information, high warning level,critical high level, low warning level, and critical low level. Theinformation may also include a reading of a particular property (e.g.,pressure). The measurement value (e.g., pressure) may be highlighted inany suitable way if the value is outside of the range indicated by thehigh and low warning levels or outside the range indicated by the highand low critical condition levels.

The high warning level, critically high level, low warning level, andcritically low level may be set by the client, having an understandingof the nature of the various pipes throughout the water distributionsystem. For example, a high warning level of 110.0 psi is a level thatthe client knows may be an indication of a problem that should likely beinvestigated. A critically high level of 150.0 psi is likely anindication that a pipe is about to burst. A low warning level of 40.0psi may indicate a small leak in the pipe, and a critically low level of30.0 psi may indicate a larger leak that likely needs to be attended toimmediately. Also, when a critically low level occurs in a pressurereading, the client may need to notify its customers of a “boil” noticethat water may be engraphed with contaminates.

A “status” output may also be displayed. If status is normal, the outputmay be blank, but if the status is a warning or critical, the statusindication may be changed to show such conditions. For example, thestatus may change to a different color, may blink, or may include someother type of highlighting feature. In one embodiment, for a warning,the status output may be displayed yellow, and for a critical condition,the status output may be displayed red.

FIG. 15 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1500 for enabling a user to editparameters of a sensing device. In this web page, the user can changethe description, which may include location information of the device.The user can also change the latitude and longitude information, and thehigh and low warning and critical condition levels. When finishedediting, the user can click on the “update device” button. In someembodiments, the phone number box may not be available to the client butmay only be available for users of the management company.

FIG. 16 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1600 showing a graph and data pointsrepresenting measurements by a sensing device. This web page showsmeasurement data from one sensor over certain time periods. The user mayselect time periods of 1 day, 2 days, 5 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month,6 months, 1 year, or all. The graph section of the web page shows thehigh and low points for each day. The data point section shows thereading (e.g., pressure), notes (if any), and the time when themeasurement was taken. This web page also gives the user an option toedit or annotate a particular record by pressing the “edit” button onthe same line as the record.

The data points in the graph and in the table may be highlighted in anysuitable way to indicate when a measurement is outside a range of normallimits. For example, the date points or measurement readings may begiven a different color, size, shape, or other distinctive feature toindicate abnormal conditions.

FIG. 17 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1700 for enabling a user to editmeasurements. For example, if the user of the user interface 1600 ofFIG. 16 presses the “edit” button, the web site 120 navigates the userto the user interface 1700. In this page, the user can enter a note thatis saved with the particular data record. In this example, the userwishes to annotate a low pressure reading that occurred when the clientwas aware that a pipe was broken. In this case, the user enters amessage, such as “Main Pipe was broken.” To enter the new note into thedatabase 122, the user selects the “update measurement” button. In someembodiments, the “destroy” button may not be available or may beavailable to a limited extent. The purpose of the destroy button is toremove the particular sensor from the system and/or ignore any readingsor communications from the sensor.

FIG. 18 is an example of a screen view of a web page that may bedisplayed on a user interface 1800 for enabling a user to edit userinformation. The user interface 1800 in this example is similar to theuser sign-up page shown in FIG. 11. A user can access this page usingthe “Edit Profile” link on any of the user interfaces shown in FIGS.12-18. The user can edit any information, such as e-mail, address,password, or other personal information. The user can also edit the waysthat the user will receive warnings from the system 100. For example, ifthe user decides that he or she wants to receive both an SMS message andan e-mail when there is a critical condition, the user can check theappropriate boxes.

The server 160 may be part of the utility company (e.g., water utilitycompany) and provide communication with other users via thecommunication network. In some embodiments, the server may be part of acompany responsible for managing the utility measurement data. Thecommunication network in these embodiments may be a local area network(LAN), wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, or any othersuitable data communication networks. The communication network may alsoinclude other types of networks, such as plain old telephone service(POTS), cellular systems, satellite systems, etc.

The server 160 may detect extreme events and provide an alarm inresponse. The alarm may be in the form of an automated e-mail, a pop-upwindow, an interrupt signal or indication on a computer of the clientdevice 162, SMS, or other suitable message signifying an urgent event.

The client system 106 may include a computer system used by the utilityprovider. In this respect, the utility provider system may be a clientof the data management company that manages the utility measurement dataand/or provides monitoring services regarding the status of the utilityinfrastructure. The client system, therefore, may be able to receive andreview status updates regarding the infrastructure. Alarms may beprovided to the client system, which may then be acknowledged andconfirmed. The client system may also receive historic data and managethe client's accounts and usage information. In some embodiments,information may be provided to the client system in a read-only manner.

The sensing devices 152 and client devices 162 may communicate with theserver 160 by a cellular service, via cellular towers and/or satellites.The wireless communication between the devices may be active during someperiods of time (when two respective devices are linked) and may beinactive during other periods of time (when the devices are not linkedand/or are in sleep mode). Alternatively, any of the sensing devices 152may be connected to the network 156 through wired connections.

The water mains may include transmission mains, which may include waterpipes having an inside diameter of at least twelve inches. The watermains also include distribution mains, which may include smaller pipeshaving an inside diameter of less than twelve inches. The transmissionmains, having a greater size, may be configured to allow a greateramount of water flow in comparison with the distribution mains. Thetransmission mains may be located nearer to the utility source and thedistribution mains may be located farther from the utility provider. Insome systems, distribution mains may be located along secondary roads orresidential roads.

The cellular network 116 may include relay devices (e.g., using ISMfrequency transmission) for relaying radio signals from the cell towers154 to the data network 156. The network 156 in some embodiments mayalso include the cellular network 116, a satellite network, a radionetwork, a LAN, a WAN, or any other suitable network.

In some embodiments, the sensing devices 152 may comprise printedcircuit board with the components of a sensor interface, processingdevice, and communication device incorporated on the printed circuitboard. In other embodiments, multiple printed circuit boards may be usedwith the components of the sensor interface, processing device, andcommunication device incorporated on the boards in any suitableconfiguration. When the electrical components are disposed on multipleboards, standoffs may be used as needed. Connectors may be used tocouple the processing device with the sensor interface and communicationdevice.

The sensor assembly may include any combination of sensors for detectingvarious parameters that may be analyzed. For example, the sensorassembly may include one or more piezoelectric sensors, acousticsensors, acoustic transducers, hydrophones, pressure sensors, pressuretransducers, temperature sensors, accelerometers, flow sensors, chlorinesensors, leak detectors, vibration sensors, or other types of sensors.

The power supply of the sensor assembly may contain one or morebatteries, solar-powered devices, electrical power line couplers, orother power sources. When external power is received, additionalconnectors or ports may be added through the walls of the enclosure.When batteries are used, the power supply may also include a batterycapacity detection module for detecting the capacity of the one or morebatteries. In some embodiments, the power may be partially or completelysupplied by the energy harvesting device housed on the sensor assemblyitself.

A sensor interface may be incorporated in the sensor assembly. Thesensor interface may be configured to acquire the acoustic, pressure,and/or temperature data from the sensor assembly. In addition, thesensor interface may include amplification circuitry for amplifying thesensed signals. The sensor interface may also include summing devices,low pass filters, high pass filters, and other circuitry for preparingthe signals for the processing device. The sensor assembly may alsoinclude a processing device configured to log the measurementinformation and save it in memory until a designated upload time or whenrequested by a client.

The communication device of the sensor assembly may include a modem,such as a cellular or ISM-enabled modem to provide network access to thecommunication device. Also, the communication device may include atuning module, such as a GPS timing receiver, for providing an accuratetiming reference and for synchronizing timing signals with otherelements of the cellular network 116. The communication device may beconfigured to transmit and receive RF signals (e.g., ISM frequencysignals), cellular signals, GPS signals, etc., via the antenna 114.

The processing device housed in the sensor assembly may include aprocessor, a sensor data handling device, a power assembly, acommunication module, a time/sleep module, a data processing module, ahealth status detecting module, and a storage module. The processor maycomprise one or more of a microcontroller unit (MCU), a digital signalprocessor (DSP), and other processing elements.

The sensor data handling device connects with the sensor interface andhandles the sensor data to allow processing of the signals by theprocessor. The power assembly may comprise a power source, which may beseparate from the power supply. In some embodiments, however, the powerassembly may be connected to the power supply. The power assembly mayalso be configured to control the voltage and current levels to provideconstant power to the processor. In some embodiments, the processor maybe provided with about 3.3 volts DC. The communication module connectswith the communication device and receives and/or sends signals forcommunication through the communication device. In some embodiments, thecommunication device may include a GPS device for receiving timingsamples for synchronization purposes. The timing samples may beforwarded to the communication module to allow the processing device tobe synchronized with other devices. The timing samples may also be usedto wake up the processing device when needed or sleep when inactive.

The processing device also includes a time/sleep module for providingtiming signals to the processor and may include a crystal oscillator.The time/sleep module also controls sleep modes in order to minimizebattery usage when the sensor assembly is not in use. For example, theprocessor may include an MCU that operates continually and a DSP thatsleeps when not in use. Since the DSP normally uses more power, it isallowed to sleep in order to conserve battery power.

The time/sleep module may be configured to wake various components ofthe processor at designated times in order that sensor data storedduring a previous time may be transmitted to the host. In someembodiments, the time/sleep module may wake the sensor assembly at acertain time during the day, enable the sensor assembly to analyze andrecord the measurements, return to a sleep mode according to thesampling rate, and repeat the analysis every 15 seconds or so for about15 minutes. At the end of log period, the communication device sends thedata to the server 160 and the time/sleep module returns the device to asleep mode until the next designated time. Separate from the regularsensing schedule, the time/sleep module may be configured to wake up theprocessor in the event that a warning or critical condition has beendetected.

The storage module of the sensor assembly may include flash memory,read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), or other types ofmemory.

Pressure sensors may be used in particular to measure an absolutepressure value. Also, pressure sensors may be used as a burst sensor. Inthis respect, the sensor may measure a high-speed pressure transientprofile. Both the pressure change value and absolute pressure value maybe useful for different applications. The sensor(s) may measure voltagesignals or frequency measurements. Temperature sensors may also be usedfor measuring the temperature of the pipe. The sensed waveform signalsare supplied to the processing device, which may process the signals atthe point of measurement. In other embodiments, the signals may betransmitted to the host for processing.

It should be noted that the functions of the sensor assembly may beconfigured in software or firmware and the functions performed by theprocessor. The processor, as mentioned above, may include a DSP,microcontroller, or other types of processing units. In someembodiments, the signals may be communicated to the server 160 whereprocessing may occur. The real time processing may be performed by aDSP, for example.

One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,”“could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, orotherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intendedto convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments donot include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, suchconditional language is not generally intended to imply that features,elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particularembodiments or that one or more particular embodiments necessarilyinclude logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting,whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to beperformed in any particular embodiment.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merelypossible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clearunderstanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Any processdescriptions or blocks in flow diagrams should be understood asrepresenting modules, segments, or portions of code which include one ormore executable instructions for implementing specific logical functionsor steps in the process, and alternate implementations are included inwhich functions may not be included or executed at all, may be executedout of order from that shown or discussed, including substantiallyconcurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionalityinvolved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the artof the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be madeto the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantiallyfrom the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, thescope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and allcombinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspectsdiscussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended tobe included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and allpossible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements orsteps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.

1. A non-transitory web application stored on a computer-readablemedium, the web application comprising: web site logic configured tomaintain a web site having at least one web page; browser interfacelogic configured to enable a remote device to access the at least oneweb page; an application programming interface configured to interfacewith the remote device to enable the remote device to access the webapplication; and a database configured to store water data related to aplurality of water measurements; wherein the web site logic is furtherconfigured to receive a data request from the remote device, search thedatabase in response to the data request to obtain at least one watermeasurement, and send the at least one water measurement to the remotedevice.
 2. The non-transitory web application of claim 1, wherein theweb site logic is further configured to check that the remote devicesuccessfully receives the at least one water measurement.
 3. Thenon-transitory web application of claim 2, wherein the web site logicchecks that the remote device successfully receives the at least onewater measurement by sending a request for an acknowledgement signal tothe remote device and receiving the requested acknowledgement signal. 4.The non-transitory web application of claim 3, wherein, when theacknowledgement signal is received, the web site logic is configured toerase the at least one water measurement from the database.
 5. Thenon-transitory web application of claim 1, wherein the web site logic isconfigured to receive data requests from a plurality of remote devicescorresponding to at least one water distribution client.
 6. Thenon-transitory web application of claim 5, wherein the plurality ofremote devices are Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)system devices.
 7. The non-transitory web application of claim 1,wherein the data request includes a request for water measurements withrespect to date, time, and location of a sensor.
 8. The non-transitoryweb application of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, theuser interface configured to allow a user to interact with the webpage.9. The non-transitory web application of claim 8, wherein the userinterface includes an entry window for a service contract number. 10.The non-transitory web application of claim 8, wherein the userinterface includes a map of the remote device.
 11. The non-transitoryweb application of claim 8, wherein the user interface indicates anabnormal condition of the remote device.
 12. The non-transitory webapplication of claim 11, wherein the abnormal condition is a pressurelevel higher than about 110 psi.
 13. The non-transitory web applicationof claim 11, wherein the abnormal condition is a pressure level higherthan about 150 psi.
 14. The non-transitory web application of claim 11,wherein the abnormal condition is a pressure level lower than about 40psi.
 15. The non-transitory web application of claim 14, wherein theuser interface further indicates a critically abnormal condition of theremote device, the critically abnormal condition a pressure level lowerthan about 30 psi.
 16. The non-transitory web application of claim 11,wherein the abnormal condition is a pressure level lower than about 30psi.
 17. The non-transitory web application of claim 11, wherein theuser interface is configured to allow the user to annotate the abnormalcondition.
 18. The non-transitory web application of claim 8, whereinthe user interface is configured to show the user only the user's ownremote device and not a remote device of a different user.